Officials of La Pointe Iron Co., one of the owners of the property that Gogebic Taconite unsuccessfully sought to develop as a massive open pit mine, met with local representatives in Hurley to discuss reviving mining plans.

Wisconsin

State ag department hire was disciplined in earlier job

The state agriculture department hired a former West Bend police officer last summer as an environmental watchdog, despite knowing he was disciplined as a police officer for falsifying payroll records.

The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection hired Andrew D. Adee, 38, on July 16 for one of 14 regional environmental enforcement specialists who investigate and enforce laws related to the application of pesticides and other farm chemicals.

Adee was hired over 12 other applicants, according to the agency. The job pays $47,840 annually.

Eleven of the 13 applicants passed an exam for the position, and two others were transfer applicants.

In 2006, Adee served a 60-day suspension and was required to make restitution after he was accused of filing 15 payroll reports that indicated he worked 126 hours when he did not.

Adee, an eight-year employee of the department at the time of the discipline, was one of three officers accused of falsifying payroll records by police Chief Kenneth Meuler. The other officers served a 45-day suspension and a 30-day suspension.

The West Bend Police and Fire Commission disciplined all the officers, but none was terminated.

In a statement at the time of the discipline, the commission said there was "not enough direct evidence to prove the intent to steal."

However, in written findings, the commission said, "given that police officers are expected to conduct themselves with integrity, honesty and attention to detail, the commission is troubled by the pattern of numerous false reports in this case."

Adee did not respond to a phone call and email asking for comment.

Adee's problems in West Bend came up during the hiring process, said Jim Dick, a spokesman for the agriculture department.

"We looked into it," Dick said in an email.

"We did the routine reference checks, and it was determined that there was nothing that related to what the DATCP position required of him.

"After considering interview responses, knowledge and experience, Mr. Adee was considered to be the most qualified candidate for the position."

Dick said Adee's background as a licensed pesticide applicator was another plus.

"This is not a law enforcement position. . . . We knew about the West Bend situation, reviewed it and determined that it would not disqualify Mr. Adee for the position," Dick said in an email.

Before getting hired at the agriculture department, Adee was employed as a police officer at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida and previously worked as a private security guard at the station, which is part of Patrick Air Force Base, the agriculture department said. Those jobs came after he left West Bend.

The state post involves "environmental enforcement, remediation, investigation and compliance work for a wide variety of agrichemical programs," according to the agency's job description.

Employees are expected to respond to pesticide spills, help to investigate the cause of a spill, interview witnesses, review and interpret results of environmental samples, prepare cleanup strategies and issue permits for the application of contaminated soil or water.

The agriculture department said environmental enforcement specialists were involved in 158 compliance actions in 2011.